OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE

Occupational medicine focuses on the health of employees, their ability to perform the work required, and all aspects of the workplace, including physical, chemical, biological, and social environments.

Gregory S. Krivonyak, MD, MSPH, medical director of Occupational Health Services at Leesburg Regional Medical Center (LRMC), is the only board-certified preventive medicine physician specializing in occupational medicine in Lake County.

Occupational Health Services at LRMC, which is affiliated with Central Florida Health, offers drug screenings, hearing tests, pre-placement medical evaluations, lung function testing, breath alcohol testing, Department of Transportation and employment physicals, prevention vaccinations, surveillance testing, and workers compensation injury evaluation and/ or treatment.

“My area of medicine is anything pertaining to the work or the environment of workers,” Dr. Krivonyak says. “We even work with local orange juice manufacturer Cutrale, whose employees must be ed for SCUBA diving, and testing lung function goes along with that.”

Dr. Krivonyak says an occupational physician can also help an employer when there is concern about their employee’s behavior or if the employee is returning to duty after being off for days or weeks. With this evaluation, the company can rest assured the employee is fully capable of doing the work expected.

“Whenever someone experiences illness or injury related to work, such as a slip and fall, a neck injury, someone who feels sick due to poor air quality, or a chemical spill or exposure, I can help with that,” Dr. Krivonyak says. “I can also evaluate job sites for hazards before work begins or provide an evaluation after there has been an injury.”

Preventive medicine occupational physicians also work closely with industrial hygiene or safety specialists on company sites. “I help find ways to avoid injuries on the job and I work with companies who might be having problems with absenteeism.”

Absenteeism can create great stress and possible financial complications for employers. Dr. Krivonyak can evaluate the situation and provide guidance on reducing or eliminating the problem. Another of his areas of expertise is designing safety programs for companies or working on wellness programs to help employees enjoy better health.

Practicing preventive medicine in the workplace is another way to ensure efficiency and productivity with employee safety at the forefront.

The Occupational Health Services Department is located on the campus of LRMC and is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Appointments are available, however walkins are welcome.

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Occupational Health Services Leesburg Regional Medical Center 550 Dixie Ave., Leesburg 352.323.2273

WHEN SHOULD SOMEONE USE AN URGENT CARE CENTER VERSUS AN EMERGENCY ROOM?

Generally, an emergency is a condition that may threaten an individual’s life or cause impairment. If your medical problem is life-threatening, call 911 immediately and care will be provided at the nearest emergency room. However, ER visits should be reserved for true emergencies. If you are experiencing chest pain, a heart attack, severe abdominal pain, or have been in a life-threatening accident, it’s best to go to the emergency room. A visit to the ER without an actual emergency can be costly and inefficient, and distract providers from providing service to individuals who truly need emergency care.

If you have a problem that is not lifethreatening, but you are concerned about your health state, visit the Urgent Care Center on the campus of Leesburg Regional Medical Center. Urgent care is meant to be used for those who cannot get in to see their regular physician

Urgent Care

when immediate medical attention is needed. Our urgent care team treats minor scrapes, coughs, colds, cuts, abscess boils, sore throats, poison ivy, sprained ankles, and much more. Keep in mind, however, if you do present to the Urgent Care Center with symptoms of abdominal or chest pains, our team will quickly evaluate whether or not you should be transferred over to the emergency room. This happens several times a day and our professional staff is here to help.

Our Urgent Care Center is conveniently located on the main campus of Leesburg Regional Medical Center so that patients have access to whatever level of care they may need. The Center is staffed with board-certified physicians and a team of experienced clinicians. We take pride in providing fast service; most patients are treated and released within one hour of their arrival.

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMONLY TREATED CONDITIONS AT YOUR URGENT CARE CENTER?

During the flu season and throughout wintertime, we see many patients suffering from flu-like symptoms. Getting your yearly influenza (flu) vaccine from the LRMC Urgent Care Center is a quick and convenient way to help protect yourself from the flu. By immunizing yourself, you also help prevent the spread of the fl many patients with sinus infections. These can be painful and take time to heal. Our caring and friendly team can help determine whether or not you have a sinus infection and recommend the proper treatment so you can start feeling better.

During the summer months, we see many patients with minor injuries, such as fractures and cuts which commonly occur when we are spending time outdoors, so be sure to stay up-to-date on the tetanus vaccine in case you get a cut.

WHAT SETS YOUR URGENT CARE CENTER APART FROM OTHER LOCAL PROVIDERS?

The Urgent Care Center at LRMC offers splinting, onsite lab work, X-rays and special procedures. People are surprised when they learn we can provide orthopedic injections, such as cortisone. For patients who are being treated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., and pending insurance approval, we can send them over to the hospital for a CT scan or an ultrasound when needed. Most Urgent care Centers do not have that capability. We are open seven days a week from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. including every holiday except Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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Urgent Care Center

Leesburg Regional Medical Center

550 E. Dixie Ave., Leesburg 352.323.2273 leesburgregional.org/urgentcare

Dr. Raj Kandavanam

Dr. Gregory J. Panzo: There’s absolutely no doubt that each of our accomplished and well-trained surgeons and specialists brings a unique expertise to the Mid Florida Eye Center network. From participating in national clinic research studies to advanced eye surgery techniques, we strive to bring the latest technology and surgical options to members of our community who need them most.

Although technological advancements play a major role in what we do at Mid Florida Eye Center each day, just being able to improve both the quality of vision and life for our patients supersedes that seemingly neverending quest for the newest piece of innovative technology.

Dr. Jeffrey D. Baumann: We’re constantly reviewing and adding new

Q.technology and surgical options to our practice in order to provide the most advanced eye care available to Central Florida.

We have been praised for building the first eye surgery center in the Lake County area in 1992 and owning and operating two, state-of-theart surgery centers with our four offices—including our 8,900+ square foot space in Wildwood adjacent to The Villages® Community—offering an unmatched level of complete eye care for our patients.

For me, the fact that we provide all major eye specialties, including three cataract surgeons, two glaucoma specialists, two retina specialists, an oculoplastic surgeon, and two corneal specialists under one roof is revolutionary. Our practice is the only one in Central Florida where all our ophthalmologists have completed advanced fellowship training. But I am most proud of our practice restoring vision to hundreds of thousands of patients over the years. Our vision is clearly to make yours better.

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The first thing people need to decide is what breed they would like to purchase, and this should be done according to their lifestyle. People who live in apartments probably should get a lower-energy breed. You also need to decide what your expectations for companionship are going to be. Do you want a dog you can go out jogging with or do you want a dog that is going to wait at home for you and sit on your lap?

Then you need to decide whether you want to buy a purebred registered puppy or one of our designer breeds, which is usually a cross between two or more breeds. Once you decide on a breed, you need to research that breed, not only for its behavior and your expectations, but also for health issues that genetically run in that breed. A good source is your veterinarian, such as the veterinarians at Belleview Veterinary Hospital. Speak to your veterinarian about your desired breed and they can give you some good techniques or questions to ask the breeder.

Now it’s time to research your breeder, and that may involve going to the internet or social media. Remember, not everything you read there is true, but it’s a tool that can be used. Ask the breeder for references, such as other families that have purchased animals from the breeder and the breeder’s veterinarian. Ask their veterinarian about any health issues their dogs may have and make sure they’re cared for properly. Visit the puppy and its environment to see the living conditions and health of the puppy.

Do not purchase a puppy without a Florida state health certificate. The health certificate is not only going to let you know that the puppy was physically checked out by a veterinarian before the date of purchase, but it will also guarantee a warranty within the statutes of the pet lemon law. It’s illegal for breeders to sell a puppy without a health certificate in Florida, and without one, you also have no reconciliation if there’s a problem.

When a veterinarian issues a health certificate, it means the puppy is in good health and fit for sale, it’s free of intestinal parasites and received its first set of vaccines and a deworming. Further vaccines will be needed, usually within the first two weeks of purchase.

The doctors and staff at Belleview Veterinary Hospital can help guide you through this process to make sure you wind up with a healthy, happy puppy.

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